Wedoany.com Report-Dec.19, ABB has been chosen by Vulcan Energy to supply the complete electrical infrastructure for the Phase One Lionheart Project located in the Upper Rhine Valley, Germany. This innovative development integrates renewable energy production with lithium extraction and processing to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate for the European electric vehicle sector.

The Lionheart facility is designed to manufacture 24,000 tons of lithium hydroxide monohydrate annually, sufficient to support approximately 500,000 electric vehicles per year. It will also generate 275 gigawatt-hours of electricity and 560 gigawatt-hours of heat.

Through three contracts valued at a total of €46 million, ABB will act as the primary electrical contractor. The scope includes design, engineering, manufacturing, testing, and delivery of comprehensive electrical systems. These systems will serve the Lithium Extraction Plant in Landau, the Central Lithium Plant in Frankfurt's Industriepark Höchst, and associated well sites.

The electrification package encompasses high-, medium-, and low-voltage distribution, transformers, drives, uninterruptible power supplies, and protection equipment. This integrated solution will ensure reliable and efficient electricity distribution from the 110 kV grid to all process and facility operations.

The collaboration expands on a Memorandum of Understanding signed between ABB and Vulcan Energy in April 2024, aimed at optimizing engineering processes, enhancing project execution, and improving design, supply, and cost efficiency.

By combining ABB's electrification expertise with Vulcan Energy's renewable lithium technology, the project advances Europe's first fully domestic operation producing lithium from renewable sources.

"The Lionheart Project is a blueprint for how clean energy and advanced electrification go hand in hand," said Björn Jonsson, Global Business Line Manager, Mining & Materials, ABB's Process Industries division. "We are building the foundations for a stronger European battery supply chain, helping to meet growing demand for electric vehicles at a crucial point in the transition to clean mobility."

This initiative contributes to strengthening regional supply chains for critical materials essential to electric vehicle production and sustainable energy development.